by Cherie Birkner

‘Sustainable Fashion’ is a paradox term. While sustainable is defined as “pertaining to a system that maintains its own viability by using techniques that allow for continual reuse” fashion is always time bound in it’s aesthetic, fueling a desire for consumption and/or creation of the new. The goal is surely to have fashion items which leaves no trace, but we both know that’s not the reality we live in. I continue to see brands making sustainability claims which are total red flags to me. While I often believe this comes from the best of intentions it needs to stop. It’s not serving anyone. Here’s my reaction to overused sustainability claims:

“We are the first _________”

It’s not a race. Being the first does not mean you are the best, in fact being the first makes you much less likely to even know what you are doing, because you have not had the chance to learn from anyone else. Besides that there is a 95% chance you just haven’t done your research and there are at least 5 other companies trying to do the same thing right now.

“We are 100% sustainable”

No you are not. And nobody else is. This statement shows me that you are more concerned with appearing sustainable than being transparent and honest. It’s offensive that you think people are so unreflected that they would actually believe this. Another variant of this is the claim that brands like to use is “We use 100% sustainable materials”… sure if you consider BCI cotton and fruits mixed with plastic 100% sustainable.

“Ethical and/or sustainable fashion costs less in the long run because it will last longer”

No. Ethical does not mean high quality in terms of longevity. “Sustainable” on its own means nothing. I have mass market t-shirts, which I have been wearing on a regular basis for over 6 years and I also have a fair fashion sweater collecting dust which costs over €150 and had holes on the elbows within 1 months. I care about buying fair fashion because I want the clothes I wear to reflect my values of appreciation for the creation of garments. I care about product sustainability because I like clean water, fresh air and a flourishing environment.

“By 2030 we want to _________”

It’s fine to share your goals, but these should not be shared more than your status quo. How do I know you will even still be around then? What happens if you don’t reach your goals? There is a big timeframe here in which many things can change. If you want to talk goals, tell me what you want to achieve this month, next month and maybe by the end of this year. That’s what’s interesting for me now.

So, what’s a good sustainability claim?

Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that people (because brands are made by people) take on the challenge of doing things more sustainably! But the amount of times I see these claims is not becoming less, and they aren’t doing anyone good. How about shifting the conversation towards where there is room for improvement? When I know your struggles I’m a lot more likely to be compassionate and support you in overwhelming them where I can. Where attention goes energy flows.